Honda maintenance - which one?

[indu]

Hi all.

I'm about to get myself a mid-capacity Honda to use during winter. For this reason I need to find the one which is easiest to do maintenance on, as salty winter roads tend to double or triple the need for maintenance.

I have considered Kawa KLR/KLE, Yamaha XT, Suzuki DR, KTMs and even Aprilia Pegaso, but the feedback from seasoned winter riders is that Honda tends to endure winter riding best.

I am new to Honda (apart from a Varadero I had for a short time). Hence this posting.

My shortlist (price-wise within my scope) is as follows:

- 2000 XR400R (kick only)
- 1993 XL600V Transalp
- 1993 NX650 Dominator
- 1987 XL600L

So - which one would YOU choose, and why?

Thanks!

[Walkabout]

Hi Hans/Indu,
In the UK such bikes are called "winter hacks" - this indicates that no one is too bothered about what they look like (well actually, not at all bothered); the one you own at the time just has to run OK and survive the weather and road conditions for another year -- that is the basic specification.

Any of your list will do that; so the prime criterion is the initial price -- maybe a bike other than a Honda will become available so I would not discount any manufacturer but have a list "in the back of my head" of what I would prefer, given a perfect world!
Another type of bike would be an out-and-out offroader with enough kit fitted to make it road legal; basically an enduro with lots of scratches on the panels etc!

Anyway, I thought you guys do not throw salt onto the roads in winter and you all learn to ride/drive extremely well on packed down snow and ice!!?

[indu]

Thanks Dave.

If only they didn't throw salt on the roads... Then we'd have a decent snow/ice surface to ride on. A lot better than this salty soup they use on the major highways and roads. (There are a few counties that doesn't use salt. A hoot to ride there!)

Ease of maintenance is a prime concern as I want my "winter hack" to survive more that just one season. The price is right for all of these Hondas. And it does apparently matter which manufacturer - or at least which model - it is: I spoke to a Yamaha techie who actually dissuaded me from buying a XT I was looking at as he claimed the alloy on these bikes are far too fragile and "soft" to stand the winter road salt.

[Walkabout]

Ah! So it is done by counties - some do and some don't.

In the UK I think all counties throw the salt around liberally but there have been experiments with something called "Urea" (or similar spelling) - it has the same overall effect on the snow and ice but it does not corrode steel and alloys; it is not done with regard to road vehicles but for the bridges, in an attempt to limit their corroding nature. As ever with these things, it costs a fortune compared with plain old fashioned rock salt. The first application of salt on the highways here is a big indicator to put the bike away for the winter; the "best" bike that is.

I did have a feeling that you had greater detail in mind with your list because you show specific years as well as models; there is no substitute for seeing the bikes but all other things being equal I would like the newest bike and no matter that it is a kicker -- I have a soft spot for kicking over a bike and the satisfaction of starting it that way (it goes away of course quite rapidly when the bike does not start!!).

I agree about Yams in general ( I own one at present and have had a few); any one that I have seen that has been ridden over the winter has much increased furring of the nuts and bolts, never mind the alloy fittings etc.
Strangely, other Yam owners I have spoken with don't seem to mind, but it annoys me!

I have used various sprays to limit corrosion on bikes but, in the end, there is no substitute for regular cleaning!

Cheers,

[indu]

I had a kicker once. An Ural. It's safe to say that I've been there - done that... Even though the Ural can't be said to be representative for the kickers, I'm somewhat reluctant to go down that path once again, finding myself standing in the middle of nowhere kicking and swearing. BUT - it's a Honda and it's fairly new, so that's why it's on my shortlist. Besides, I believe I need the exercise, to be honest.

I agree regarding the regular cleaning. The problem is that winter over here tend to be sub-zero cold all the time, so I won't have the degrees on my side: If I touch the bike with water, it'll freeze over... I tried some Tectyl stuff last year on an ATV I used for winter riding. Did fairly well, I'd say. I'll try some of the same stuff on my "winter hack".

[Walkabout]

Know what you mean! If you are getting exercise, then you are doing it with the wrong technique or, more likely, the engine is flooded.
You will buy the bike with the lowest mileage & the most careful previous owner then?

I've never used this stuff, but some guys I have talked with say it is very good:-
ACF-50


I have used some spray-on stuff made by Scottoiler but there is no way to judge if corrosion would have happened without it in place (any old oil could be used as well of course).

You prompt the thought: If you can get a layer of ice attached permanently on the frame etc then that is a protective coating against salt - yea, OK, get real Dave!

[Lomnica_city]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

...In the UK I think all counties throw the salt around liberally but there have been experiments with something called "Urea" (or similar spelling) - it has the same overall effect on the snow and ice but it does not corrode steel and alloys...

UREA is what we call a type of artificial fertilizer that my dad is using on his farm,it melts fast in contact with water/snow,I didn't know that people are using it for that purpose too!?
In Serbia we either have salt or very small pebles of artificial growel,not big enough to say brake a windshield if the vehicle in front of you"launches"it at you but it gives a very good grip so it's quite usefull!
Pozdrav from Serbia!
Zoki

[Martynbiker]

Indu, Buy An XT
Do NOT worry about the ally....... just get yourself some Winta-Wax OR some "Waxoyl" and clean the bike thoroughly. THEN paint or spray ( i prefer to brush) the waxoyl all over anything that rusts or corrodes. PLEASE KEEP IT AWAY FROM YOUR BRAKE DISCS

when that stuff dries, takes a day or 3 but can be speeded up by keeping the bike in the kitchen ( wife/girlfriend/ mother/ landlady allowing) it will never rust. salt will not penetrate unless it gets a scrape.

Yep, spray it on the engine too... when hot it bakes on. ok smokes a bit, looks crap as it goes dark on the exhaust but it will never rust. and if its only a winter hack. you aint to bothered about the appearance.

to remove in summer, solvent, a brush, and a pressure washer. tis the ONLY way.

Martyn

[indu]

Originally Posted by Martynbiker

Indu, Buy An XT
Do NOT worry about the ally....... just get yourself some Winta-Wax OR some "Waxoyl" and clean the bike thoroughly. THEN paint or spray ( i prefer to brush) the waxoyl all over anything that rusts or corrodes. PLEASE KEEP IT AWAY FROM YOUR BRAKE DISCS

when that stuff dries, takes a day or 3 but can be speeded up by keeping the bike in the kitchen ( wife/girlfriend/ mother/ landlady allowing) it will never rust. salt will not penetrate unless it gets a scrape.

Yep, spray it on the engine too... when hot it bakes on. ok smokes a bit, looks crap as it goes dark on the exhaust but it will never rust. and if its only a winter hack. you aint to bothered about the appearance.

to remove in summer, solvent, a brush, and a pressure washer. tis the ONLY way.

Martyn

Thanks Martyn.

I had nearly forgotten this thread but here it is again, alive and kicking!

I see your point. But how about me spraying down a TA instead? Wouldn't that make it a better winter hack, even better than a sprayed-down XT?

I haven't bought a hack yet. Suddenly SWMABO decided she needed a racing bike (ain't I a lucky SOB with a SWMABO like that? ), and my kid has outgrown her Yamaha TTR-90 so now she wants a 2nd hand Kawa KX65 she's found on the net. Dad's winter hack is thereby put on hold until further notice... But in this case, I'm more than happy to oblige.